One of the biggest sources of unwanted calories occupies a spot in the fridge of most of our homes. Soft drinks. Pop. Soda. Fizzy drinks. We just can't get enough of them and neither can our kids. It's time to take our families' health into our own hands and make our own decisions rather than have all these big companies push their poisonous gunk down our throats. Nature has provided us with a delicious super food, the lemon.The high amounts of sugar in soft drinks causes tissue and cell damage, it has also been linked to the development of diabetes. That sugar along with phosphoric acid found in soft drinks does wonders for dental enamel. And if you think your kids are safe because you choose 'diet' sodas over the regular stuff think again! Artificial sweeteners have been linked to increased risk of cancer, obesity and digestive problems. I am hoping I had you at 'diabetes'.Dump those fizzy drinks down the drain and replace it with good old lemonade. Substitute sugar with honey and you have the perfect drink. It helps in digestion, fights the flu, detoxifies the liver and tastes great.Just one lemon has more than 100% of your daily intake of vitamin C. Vitamin C helps increase good HDL cholesterol levels, boosts the immune system and helps against cold and flu. Its antioxidant properties protect cells and their DNA from damage and mutation, which means it helps prevent cancer. Diabetes patients can benefit from it as it helps regulate blood sugar.Lemons are a good source of citrus bioflavinoids which are anti-inflammatory and also help inhibit growth of cancer cells. Citric acid can help get rid of acne, you can dab a few drops on the affected area before bed-time and have a glass of warm lemonade in the morning. That should convince the teenager who forever complains in front of the mirror about new zits. It also helps in weight loss as it is high in pectin fiber which helps fight hunger cravings.Other benefits of lemons include healing canker sores (rinse your mouth with some diluted lemon juice), fighting fatigue and freshening breath. So before the kids can grab a can of sugar and acid prepare a jug full of taste and health, fresh lemonade!

Here are some great recipes for variations of lemonade, don't forget to replace the sugar with honey.

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Khaula Mazhar is a freelance writer living in Ontario. Her ten year teaching experience, five boisterous kids, one Olympic high jumping cat, one absent-minded husband and her ability to be amused by everything life has thrown at her, give her plenty of things to write about. She has one published children’s book "Mama Love me", and is working on more. She writes articles for Dawn and blogs here: http://khaulamazhar.com/